About the Overall Railroad Rebuild Project

The UI Railroad Transmission Line Upgrade Project rebuilds UI’s transmission lines along the 25 miles of the Metro North Railroad(MNR) corridor between Fairfield and West Haven. This includes installation of approximately 500 new foundation supported galvanized transmission poles, upgrading of conductor size and installing sectionalizing switches at nearby substations. This project will enhance the structural integrity and reliability of the high voltage transmission lines along the MNR corridor allowing UI to continue to provide safe, reliable electric service to our customers for years to come.

Project Purpose and Need
Benefits to region and our customers

The upgrades will improve the reliability and resiliency of the transmission system, ensuring that the safe and reliable transmission of power is maintained throughout Fairfield and New Haven County in accordance with Federal reliability standards.


Project Map

Project Scope

  • Staking, vegetation clearing, installation and removal of access roads and work pads
  • Installation of drilled foundations supporting monopoles and conductors
  • Installation of new sectionalizing switches at substations to increase reliability and operational flexibility
  • Removal of bonnet structures (top of poles which hold the power lines) on MNR Catenaries (cables which hold the lines)
  • Site Restoration

Timing

Construction start of first phase: Dec. 2017

Estimated in-service date of final phase: 2028 Q3

 

Construction Scope

115kV Transmission Line Upgrade

  • Completed, in service 12/24/2018

Crossing Replacement

  • Completed, in service 6/7/2018

Stratford 115-kV Transmission Line Upgrade Project consisting of the removal and relocation of northern and southern sections of existing 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission line structures from Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) catenary structures within the Metro-North Railroad corridor to new 115-kV transmission line structures to be located within the existing ConnDOT right of way and upgrade of 115-kV conductors extending approximately 1.9 miles from UI’s Baird Substation to just west of the Housatonic River in Stratford, Connecticut, and related substation improvements

  • In construction: Nov 2019 to Aug 2021
  • Energized: February 2021

Rebuild 9.5 miles from Milvon Substation (Milford, CT) to West River Substation (New Haven, CT).

Relocate the transmission lines off the existing CT DOT railroad catenary bonnets and install on independent monopoles with new insulators, hardware and conductor on new monopole structures in the railroad corridor.

  • Engineering August 2020 – Q3 2022
  • Construction Start Q4 2023
  • In-service   Q4 2028

Additional Links and Documents

More information is available in the Document Library


Rebuild 8 miles of overhead transmission lines from the Fairfield, CT border (UI/Eversource transition structure) to Congress Substation (Bridgeport, CT).

  • Relocate the circuit from Eversource/UI Transition structure (B648) to Structure B737, from the existing railroad catenary bonnets and install on new monopoles in the railroad corridor.
  • Relocate the overhead transmission lines from the existing railroad catenary bonnets and install on independent monopoles with new insulators, hardware and conductor from structure B737 to Congress Substation.
  • Detailed Engineering – Jan. 2022 to Q1 2024
  • Construction - Q2 2024 to Q2 2028.

Additional Links and Documents

 

Construction Process

UI is committed to working cooperatively with our customers, neighbors, community leaders and regulators as we improve reliability while minimizing disruption to the environment and community. We have a dedicated team of public outreach liaisons who will be involved throughout the duration of the project to answer any questions you may have.

Below are the stages of the project construction process that you may see in your community.

 

1) Laying matting and building access roads for construction vehicles while protecting the area

2) Tree clearing – trimming "danger trees" that may cause service interruption

3) Drilling foundations which will support the new galvanized steel poles

4) Setting the bolt cage for the foundation structure

5) Pouring concrete for the foundations

6) Final concrete cap for the steel monopoles

7) Setting the poles into the foundation

8) Stringing the wire (conductor) onto the poles

9) Restoration - grading, seeding & mulch. Access roads removed.

Updated May 2020

Project Overview Video

Permitting

UI is designing the Project to avoid and minimize negative impacts to the community and the environment. Early Project planning efforts included the completion of a set of resource assessments to clarify important planning considerations such as water resources; soil characteristics; cultural resources; and sensitive plant and animal species. Active regulatory coordination and reviews preceded numerous permitting efforts and are ongoing through the construction phase of the Project. UI has secured the necessary authorizations reviews and permits from agencies across federal, state and local administration agencies. Consultations and permits have been pursued from the following agencies for the Project:

Federal

  1. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
  2. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
  3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  4. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

State of Connecticut

  1. Connecticut Siting Council (CSC)
  2. Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (CTDEEP)
  3. Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)

Local and Regional

  1. Towns of Fairfield, Bridgeport, Stratford, Milford, Orange, West Haven & New Haven

Document Library

Fairfield to Congress Substation, Bridgeport

Title Date
Fairfield to Congress 400 foot Maps 2 of 2 11/28/2022
Fairfield to Congress 400 foot Maps 1 of 2 11/28/2022
Fairfield to Congress Fact Sheet 10/14/2022


Milvon to West River 115 kV Transmission Line Rebuild Project

Title Date
CT DEEP Natural Diversity Database Species Protection Best Management Practices 12/23/2021
FAQ Sheet - Milvon to West River 12/20/2021
Visual Simulations as shown in the Municipal Consultation filing on 11/28/2021 11/28/2021
400-Scale MCF Project Mapping 10/14/2021
Phase 4 - Milvon to West River Fact Sheet 09/04/2020
Hearing Mailing 02/25/2022
Open House Postcard 02/25/2022
Right of Way Cross Sections 02/22/2022
Transcript: Milvon to West River Transmission Open House Video 01/18/2022
Transcript: Milvon to West River Transmission Line Upgrade Project Video 01/18/2022


General Information

Title Date
Connecticut Siting Council Process 12/23/2021
Typical Structure Foundation Details 12/23/2021
Design with Community in Mind 11/22/2021
Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) 11/22/2021
Permitting: Environmental and Regulatory 11/22/2021
Comparison of Underground and Overhead Power Lines 11/22/2021
Phase 3 - Raymark/Contract Plating Info sheet 05/01/2020
Phase 3 - HRX to Baird Fact Sheet 03/17/2021


How the Electric Delivery System Works

The electric grid consists of high-voltage transmission lines and low-voltage distribution lines that transport electricity from power generation plants to community areas that need electricity.





Project/Construction Updates


Fairfield to Congress Substation, Bridgeport

Project Updates - Currently in the Connecticut Siting Council municipal consultation filing stage which will be complete Oct. 2022 with the full application being submitted to the Connecticut Siting Council Q1 2023.

Construction Update – Detailed engineering stage, Construction expected to begin early 2025

Project Overview


Milvon to West River

Project update – Completed the Connecticut Siting Council approval process, Docket No 508 (ct.gov)

Construction Update - Construction expected to begin late 2023.

Project Overview

Get in touch

T: 1-888-848-3697
E: Info@UIRailRoadTLineUpgrades.com

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